Paintbrush with clip attachment

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an improved paintbrush with an integrated clip. The integrated clip rotates, and when not in use does not hinder the user. The design allows for a user to use the paintbrush unfettered until the user desires to hang the paintbrush for storage or drying. When the user desires to use the clip, it is rotated from within the paint brush handle to the position of use. When the user desires to utilized the paintbrush for painting, the clip can be stored within the paintbrush handle in a manner where is does not interfere.

PRIORITY

This is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/583,463filed May 1, 2017 which claimed the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication Ser. No. 62/330,210, filed May 1, 2016.

BACKGROUND

Various tools exist to assist a painter in completing a job. These toolsare aimed at both professional and amateur painters. The tools whichexist range from things that are meant to make painting easier, to toolsdesigned to make painting cleaner. Painting, because it involves surfacefinishes which are meant to last is a balance between the difficultycleaning the painting equipment and the surface finish quality. In orderto maintain a consistent appearance on walls and other surfaces greatcare must be taken to ensure that dirt, dust, paint fragments, and otherdebris are not transferred from equipment to the surface which is beingpainted.

The paint brush is one of the main tools utilized by the painter. Oncepainting begins the paint brush cannot be put down without risking crosscontamination between the resting place and the paint supply. Manyattempts exist to address this problem, these include trays, clips,hooks, and even specially designed brushed which include clips. Each ofthese attempts to address this problem suffer from one or more of thefollowing: they are expensive, they are cumbersome, the mechanism getsin the way of painting, or the device is prone to breakage.

One method to reduce the amount of particulate which accumulate on thepaint brush includes suspending the paint brush over the paintcontainer. Suspending the brush serves to shield the brush from directcontact with particulates. Several methods allow for a paint brush to besuspended over the paint container. Clips exist which allow for thepaintbrush to be attached to the outside of a paint container and to besuspended over the paint. The existing clips do not allow the painter tocontinue working unhindered when the brush is not connected to the paintcontainer.

For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a more versatile, lessobtrusive paint brush suspension system.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to a paint brush that satisfies thisneed. The paint brush system comprises a paint brush, the paint brushhas a handle with a clip integrated within the handle. The clip isconnected to the handle in such a manner as to allow the clip to rotatewithin the handle for storage when the clip is not in use.

DESCRIPTION

A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a paint brushwith a handle, with an integrated clip in said handle. The integratedclip is connected to the paint brush with a connector that allows theclip to rotate along an attachment point. When the clip is in use, theclip can be rotated by a user in order to expose a connector whichallows the paint brush to be suspended over a container by a clip endlocated at the end of an elongated section of the clip. The handle ofthe present invention has a front surface and a rear surface. When theclip is not in use, the user can rotate the clip into a pocket, to aposition where is does not hinder the use of the paint brush. The brushhandle can be manufactured from numerous materials from wood, metal, tovarious thermoplastic materials so long as the material is strong enoughto withstand the usage of the brush.

An alternative embodiment of the present invention provides a paintbrush with an integrated clip that when rotated is located significantlyinside of the body of the paint brush inside of a pocket located insideof the brush handle.

A further alternative embodiment of the present invention provides apaint brush with an integrated clip that includes a magnet, the magnetassists in attaching the clip to a metallic paint container or othermetal surface.

A further alternative embodiment of the present invention provides apocket with a deeper section that allows for the clip and clip end to belocated significantly within the brush handle.

An embodiment of the present invention can be created by taking anexisting paintbrush and using a material removal tool such as a chiselor drill bit to removing enough material to allow a clip to be connectedto said existing brush handle with a connector.

An alternative embodiment of the present invention can be created bymolding a thermoplastic material into the desired shape necessary tocreate the present invention. A mold must first be created which allowsfor inserting the desired thermoplastic material. This thermoplasticmaterial paintbrush can allow for the creation of an embodiment of thepresent invention with less cost and with less steps than traditionalmanufacturing methods. The clip can either be connected during or afterthe molding process. Once the thermoplastic material has been moldedinto the desired shape the brush material can then be added.

In the Summary above and in the sections below, and in the accompanyingdrawings, reference is made to particular features of the invention. Itis so understood that the disclosure of the invention in thisspecification includes all possible combinations of such particularfeatures. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in thecontext of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, or aparticular claim, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible,in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspectsand embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally.

The term “comprises” and grammatical equivalents thereof are used hereinto mean that other components, ingredients, steps, etc. are optionallypresent. For example, an article “comprising” (or “which comprises”)components A, B, and C can consist of (i.e., contain only) components A,B, and C, or can contain not only components A, B, and C but also one ormore other components.

Where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or moredefined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any order orsimultaneously (except where the context excludes that possibility), andthe method can include one or more other steps which are carried outbefore any of the defined steps (except where the context excludes thatpossibility).

The term “at least” followed by a number is used herein to denote thestart of a range beginning with that number (which may be a range havingan upper limit or no upper limit, depending on the variable beingdefined}. For example “at least 1” means 1 or more than 1. The term “atmost” followed by a number is used herein to denote the end of a rangeending with that number (which may be a range having 1 or 0 as its lowerlimit, or a range having no lower limit, depending upon the variablethen being defined). For example, “at most 4” means 4 or less than 4,and “at most 40%” means 40% or less than 40%. When, in thisspecification, a range is given as “(a first number) to (a secondnumber)” or “(a first number)-(a second number),” this means a rangewhose lower limit is the first number and whose upper limit is thesecond number. For example, 25 to 100 mm means a range whose lower limitis 25 mm, and whose upper limit is 100 mm.

The invention does not require that all of the advantageous features andall the advantages need to be incorporated into every embodiment of theinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a front perspective view of an embodiment of the presentinvention

FIG. 2 shows a front view of a second embodiment of the presentinvention

FIG. 3 shows a side view of an embodiment of the present invention

FIG. 4 shows a front perspective view of an embodiment of the presentinvention in use.

FIG. 1 shows a front perspective view of an embodiment of the presentinvention. A brush includes a handle 101, the handle includes a clip102. The clip 102 is connected to the handle 101 with a connector 103.The handle is connected to a paint transferring means 104. The connector103 allows the clip 102 to rotate around an axis.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of an embodiment of the present invention. Abrush includes a handle 101, the handle includes a clip 102. The clip102 is connected to the handle 101 with a connector 103. The handle isconnected to a paint transferring means 104. An embodiment of theinvention includes a clip 102 which has a protrusion 105 which allowsthe user to more easily rotate the clip.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 an embodiment of the present inventionincludes an integral clip which allows for the brush to be suspendedfrom a container. The integral clip is designed in such a way as tolimit interference with the use of the brush. The preferred embodimentof the present invention has an integral clip which, when not in use,can be folded within the body of the handle. An embodiment of theinvention includes a clip which has a protrusion 105 which allows theuser to more easily rotate the clip.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of an embodiment of the present invention. Abrush includes a handle 101, the handle includes a clip 102. The clip102 is connected to the handle 101. The handle is connected to a painttransferring means 104. The clip 102 includes an extended section 301between said handle 101 and the end of said clip 102 which allows forthe brush to be suspended over a container.

FIG. 4 shows a front view of an embodiment of the present invention inuse. A bush as in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 having an extended section 301 and aclip 102, is placed on a paint container 401. Said extended section 301and said clip 102 suspends the brush from the paint container 401.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described inconsiderable detail with reference to certain preferred versionsthereof, other versions are possible. For example the clip shown whichhas a sharp curve, could be replaced with any other type of clip whichserves the desired purpose. Therefore, the spirit and scope of thisapplication should not be limited to the description of the preferredversions contained herein.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which arefiled concurrently with this specification and which are open to publicinspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papersand documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All the features disclosed in this specification (including anyaccompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced byalternative features which service the same, equivalent or similarpurpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expresslystated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of ageneric series of equivalent or similar features.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for manufacturing a paintbrushcomprising: taking an existing paintbrush and creating a pocket in saidpaintbrush using a material removal tool; inserting a clip in saidpocket; and connecting said clip to said paintbrush with one or moreconnectors.
 2. A method for manufacturing a thermoplastic materialpaintbrush comprising: creating a mold for a paintbrush, said moldhaving a shape of a handle, said mold further having a shape of a clip,said handle having a pocket, said clip having a clip end; athermoplastic material being heated and inserting said thermoplasticmaterial into said mold; and allowing said thermoplastic material tocool.
 3. The method of manufacturing of claim 2 wherein said methodfurther comprises: removing said handle and said clip from said mold;and attaching said handle to said clip with a connector adapted to holdsaid clip onto said handle at an attachment point, while allowing saidclip to be rotated in a position within said pocket or outside of saidpocket.
 4. The method of manufacturing of claim 2 wherein said methodfurther comprises: inserting a connector within said mold prior to saidthermoplastic material is allowed to cool, said connector adapted tohold said clip onto said handle at an attachment point, while allowingsaid clip to be rotated in a position within said pocket or outside ofsaid pocket.